Bellingham Northumberland Extensive Urban Survey

The Northumberland Extensive Urban Survey Project was carried out between 1995 and 2008 by Northumberland County Council with the support of English Heritage. © Northumberland County Council and English Heritage 2009 Produced by Rhona Finlayson and Caroline Hardie 1995-7 Revised by Alan Williams 2007-8 Strategic Summary by Karen Derham 2008 Planning policies revised 2010 All the mapping contained in this report is based upon the Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationary Office. © Crown copyright. All rights reserved 100049048 (2009) All historic mapping contained in this report is reproduced courtesy of the Northumberland Collections Service unless otherwise stated. Copies of this report and further information can be obtained from: Northumberland Conservation Development & Delivery Planning Economy & Housing Northumberland County Council County Hall Morpeth NE61 2EF Tel: 01670 620305 Email: archaeology@northumberland.gov.uk Website: http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/archaeology

Bellingham 1

CONTENTS

PART ONE: THE STORY OF BELLINGHAM 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Project Background 1.2 Location, Topography and Geology 1.3 Brief History 1.4 Documentary and Secondary Sources 1.5 Cartographic Sources 1.6 Archaeological Evidence 1.7 Protected Sites

2 PREHISTORIC AND ROMAN 3 MEDIEVAL 3.1 Foundation of the Medieval Town 3.2 Castle Mound 3.3 Demesne Farm 3.4 Parish Church of St Cuthbert 3.5 St Cuthbert’s Well 3.6 Market Place and Associated Settlement 3.7 Bridge and Ford 3.8 Mill 3.9 Common Pasture 3.10 Tynedale Forest 4 POST-MEDIEVAL 4.1 Context of the Settlement 4.2 Layout 4.3 Places of Worship 4.4 School 5 NINETEENTH CENTURY 5.1 Industrial Development 5.2 Places of Worship 5.3 Schools 5.4 Bridges 5.5 Railway 5.6 Hareshaw Ironworks 5.7 Tile Works 5.8 Bottle Works

PART TWO: ARCHAEOLOGICAL POTENTIAL OF BELLINGHAM 6 RESEARCH FRAMEWORK 6.1 Prehistoric and Roman Potential 6.2 Medieval Potential 6.3 Post-Medieval and Nineteenth Century Potential

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PART THREE: ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE PLANNING PROCESS 7 THE EXISTING FRAMEWORK 7.1 Planning Policy Statement 5: Planning for the Historic Environment (PPS5) 7.2 Scheduled Ancient Monuments 7.3 Listed Buildings 7.4 Conservation Areas 7.5 Archaeological Sites without Statutory Designation 7.6 Development Plan Policies 7.7 Pre-Application Discussion 7.8 Archaeological Planning Conditions 7.9 Unexpected Discoveries 8 SOURCES Bibliography Maps and Plans Documentary Sources

APPENDIX 1: LISTED BUILDINGS

APPENDIX 2: HISTORIC MAPS

APPENDIX 3: STRATEGIC SUMMARY

LIST OF FIGURES:

Figure 1: Location Figure 2: Study Area Figure 3: Medieval period Figure 4: Post-medieval and 19

th century

Figure 5: Armstrong 1769 Ref ZBK sheets 4 and 5. Figure 6: Tithe Award 1845 Ref DT32 Figure 7: First Edition 25 inch to 1 mile Sheet 68 Figure 8: Second Edition 25 inch to one mile Ref Sheet 68.6 Figure 9: Third Edition 25 inch to 1 mile Ref Sheets 65.11 and 65.15 Figure 10: Bellingham areas of archaeological sensitivity

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Figure 1: Location

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PART ONE: THE STORY OF BELLINGHAM

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Project Background

Towns and villages have been the focus of settlement in this country for many hundreds of

years. Beneath our workplaces, beneath our houses and gardens, streets and shops –

beneath our feet – there lies archaeological remains which can tell us how these settlements

were once organised and how people went about their lives. Awareness and appreciation of

this resource can enhance our sense of place and identity and help us understand how the

past has directly shaped our present and how we can benefit from it in the shaping of our

future. To ensure that evidence for our urban past is not needlessly lost during development

local and national government have put in place a range of statutory designations and policies

to make sure that valuable remains are protected, preserved and understood.

In 1992, English Heritage published a national policy to help planners and developers deal

with urban archaeology and any issues that might arise during the planning process

(Managing the Urban Archaeological Resource). This led to the Extensive Urban Survey

programme, where funds were made available to individual planning authorities to prepare

material to explain how archaeology fits into the planning process and how issues raised can

be best resolved. Bellingham is one of 20 towns in Northumberland to have been reviewed,

the results appearing in the following report which is divided into three main parts:

Part 1 summarises the development of Bellingham using documentary, cartographic

and archaeological sources, and examines the evidence for the survival of

archaeological remains in the town.

Part 2 assesses the detailed archaeological potential of the town of Bellingham and

how development could, potentially, impact on significant archaeological resources

which are of both national and local significance.

Part 3 looks at the national and local planning process with regard to archaeology

and is designed to give the developer, planner, and general public, the framework

within which development in an historic town will normally proceed.

The present survey (fig 2) encompasses the full extent of the town of Bellingham.

Material within this report includes information available on the Northumberland Historic

Environment Record (HER) at the time this report was updated. Information on the HER is

constantly being updated and should be used as the primary source for historical and

archaeological information.

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1.2 Location, Topography and Geology

The small market town of Bellingham (population 845 in 2001), lies on a terrace on the north

bank of the River North Tyne, astride the Hareshaw Burn and in rolling countryside 16 miles

north-west of Hexham. The geology around the town is a superficial glacial drift above

Carboniferous Limestone, this latter outcropping on slopes above the town. The presence of

bands of coal and iron ore within the limestone sequence has influenced the growth of

Bellingham, most notably with the brief but meteoric development of Hareshaw Ironworks

over the 1830s and 40s.

Figure 2: Study Area (purple), scheduled monument (red), listed buildings (pink)

1.3 Brief History

Within two or three miles of Bellingham are several settlements dating to the Roman period,

but the town itself appears to be no earlier than the 12th century – although the ending ‘ham’

could indicate an early medieval origin (Mawer 1920). The early settlement seems to have

been divided by the Hareshaw Burn: on the west was the Church of St Cuthbert, and on the

east settlement focused around the probable manorial seat, possibly a castle with a demesne

farm (HER 8048).

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The North Tyne was fordable near the town and during the medieval period there also

appears to have been a bridge (HER8024). The present bridge was only built in 1834,

reflecting the relative unimportance of the crossing of the North Tyne at this point, with the

main north-south route from Edinburgh to Newcastle, via Jedburgh, running through

neighbouring Redesdale. During much of the medieval period, an extensive tract of Tynedale,

including Bellingham, was administered as an independent liberty owned by the Kings of

Scotland and known as the Lordship of Tynedale. It was not fully integrated into the rest of

Northumberland until the very end of the 15th century.

A manorial seat over the medieval and post medieval periods, Bellingham also functioned as

a service and market centre for the surrounding rural economy. However, over a ten year

period between 1838 and 1848, the town also became an industrial centre based around the

Hareshaw Ironworks. Major iron working was a short-lived expansion in the area, and its

contraction even speedier. The town survived the closure of the Hareshaw works, though,

and to this day remains a service centre for its rural hinterland, its economy supported by

forestry, echoing medieval times when the Bellingham family held the manor by virtue of their

service as foresters to the king of Scotland.

1.4 Documentary and Secondary Sources

Research on the town in this survey began with a review of information held in the county’s

Historic Environment Record (HER). For Bellingham, this was restricted largely to antiquarian

discoveries and standing building descriptions. As additional sources were examined during

this survey new entries were added to the HER and are noted throughout the report. The

published information on the development of Bellingham is also limited: one of the effects of

Bellingham’s inclusion in the Liberty of Tynedale is that it was excluded from the Lay Subsidy

Roll of 1296, one of the most valuable sources of information about the character of

settlement in medieval Northumberland (Haigh and Savage 1984, 52). However, the Iter of

Wark, dated to 1279, mentions Bellingham. The development of the town is described in

volume 15 of A History of Northumberland (Dodds 1940) and is mentioned in Tomlinson's

Comprehensive Guide to Northumberland (1888), and in other 19th century Directories. Its

industrial history has been described by Stafford Linsley of the former Centre for Lifelong

Learning at Newcastle University.

1.5 Cartographic Sources

Cartographic sources for the town are also limited and whilst Speed identifies the town on his

1610 County of Northumberland map and Armstrong’s county map of 1769 shows the form of

the town at that date, there is no detailed survey until the 19th century.

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1.6 Archaeological Evidence

There have been no archaeological interventions within the study area to provide any useful

indication of the presence, character or degree of preservation of archaeological deposits

within the town. The only excavations in the vicinity were carried out by George Jobey in 1958

at the adjacent Romano-British settlement at Riding Wood (HER 7972).

1.7 Protected Sites

There is one Scheduled Ancient Monument in Bellingham - the site of the 19th century

Hareshaw Ironworks (SAM ND594; HER 7993) immediately to the north of the town as shown

on figure 2. There are also 21 listed buildings in the town. The Church of St Cuthbert is listed

Grade I; the remainder are listed Grade II and therefore protected by the local authority.

Bellingham has no designated conservation area.

2 PREHISTORIC AND ROMAN

There is no evidence for early prehistoric activity from within the town of Bellingham.

Evidence from the vicinity includes a Bronze-Age axe (HER 7975), found in 1852 at

Hesleyside and prehistoric carvings (HER 7985 and 7991) cut into exposed bedrock about

one mile to the north-west of the town.

Apart from a single Roman coin found in 1975 in the garden of Treeton House, Reedsmouth

Road (HER7990), no evidence for the late Iron Age and Romano-British occupants of the

area has been found within Bellingham. However, excavation and field investigation has

shown that a farmed landscape dotted with enclosed settlements lay across the area. A sub-

rectangular, double-banked enclosure (HER7972) at Riding Wood (about one and a half miles

north west of the town) contained at least four round houses; a Romano-British enclosure at

West Charlton is recorded by Dodds (1940, 57), and at Stirks Cleugh, to the south of

Bellingham, another sub-rectangular enclosure of Romano-British date has been recorded

(HER7980).

There is no suggestion from any of the historical commentators of the town that Castle

Mound, to the east of the Hareshaw Burn, was of early strategic significance; the site lacks

height above the river and is overlooked immediately to the north-east.

Bellingham 8

3 MEDIEVAL (figure 3)

3.1 Foundation of the Medieval Town

There is no evidence for early-medieval activity in the town or the surrounding area. From

1158, the Liberty of Tynedale was held by the Scottish Crown, who administered it through its

principal manor of Wark. The manor of Bellingham lay within this lordship. In 1279 two-thirds

of the manor, including the town, was held by the Bellingham family and one third by the King

of Scotland.

The Liberty of Tynedale was the subject of Anglo/Scottish dispute over the medieval period; it

was only in the 14th century that even the position of the border between the two countries

was stabilised, from which time major military campaigns were largely superseded by bloody

skirmishes and border raids that continued at least into the 16th century (Haigh and Savage

1984, 51). Settlement at Bellingham will have focused on the seat of the lord of the manor,

some form of defensible residence, probably located on the mound on the east bank of the

Hareshaw Burn, and also around the church to the west of the burn, the only ecclesiastical

building in the upper part of Tynedale (Harbottle and Newman 1973, 139).

Figure 3: The medieval town (blue hatch)

Bellingham 9

3.2 Castle Mound (HER 7979)

It is possible that a motte-and-bailey castle was built at Bellingham by the Bellingham family

in the early 12th century (Hunter-Blair 1944, 162) perhaps during Stephen's reign (1135-54)

or even earlier (Dodds 1940, 234). Certainly by 1279 William de Bellingham, resident at

Bellingham, was the sheriff of Tynedale and subsequently forester of the same district under

the king of Scotland (Bulmer 1877, 564) which must indicate at least the presence of a

substantial fortified house at Bellingham by this time.

A low mound lying on the east side of the Hareshaw Burn about 350m from its confluence

with the North Tyne is the generally accepted location of this defensible building. A stone

structure on the mound was described as in ruins in 1825 by Mackenzie (1825, 250), but any

above ground traces of a structure have been eradicated for some time (Hunter Blair 1944,

162; Dodds 1940, 234). There is even disagreement as to whether the mound is a natural

feature or a motte; there is certainly no evidence for a lower bailey.

3.3 Demesne Farm (HER 8042)

Demesne Farm lies immediately to the north east of the castle mound. Agricultural buildings

within the complex appear to date at the earliest from the 18th century, although they may well

incorporate earlier fabric. The location of the farm and obviously its name supports the

interpretation of the mound as the location of the manorial seat.

3.4 Parish Church of St Cuthbert (HER 7994)

Much of what was probably a 13th century church was rebuilt in the early 17

th century with a

remarkable barrel-vaulted nave and south transept (Tomlinson 1888, 214). The remains of

the earlier church (which seems to have consisted of a chancel, a nave with north and south

aisles and an aisled south transept) include the north and east walls of the chancel with three

lancet windows; the chancel arch; the four responds of the nave arcades in the east and west

walls; and remnants of the south transept. It has been suggested that the 13th century church

replaced an early 12th century structure which stood on the same site (Dodds 1940, 227) but

there seems to be no real evidence for this.

In 1297 the Iter of Wark records goods being stolen from the church at Bellingham and a

chapel is mentioned in 1360 (Dodds 1940, 221). The commissioners of 1541 reported that

Bellingham chapel was used rather than the church at Simonburn, but that the chapel was

dependent on Simonburn rectory (Dodds 1940, 223, 226-7). The records of the Dean and

Chapter of Durham show that the chapel was not much used by 1607 (Tomlinson 1888, 214)

and the church was reconstructed in 1609 (Tomlinson 1888, 214). Historically, the church lay

within the parish of Simonburn, but Bellingham became a separate parish in the mid 18th

century.

Bellingham 10

In the church yard at Bellingham there is a 13th century gravestone called “the Long Pack” to

which a traditional Border legend is attached. In addition, there are several incised and

sculptured grave covers (Tomlinson 1888, 215) and five 13th century tombstones illustrated in

Dodds (1940, 231) only one of which can be identified in the church yard today.

3.4 St Cuthbert’s Well (HER 7983)

Reginald of Durham, writing in the middle of the 12th century, describes a miracle worked by

St Cuthbert at Bellingham and the resulting healing powers of the water from the well at the

church. St Cuthbert's Well (a pant or spring) still sits outside the churchyard wall (Dodds

1940, 222). It has Grade II listed status. It is an octagonal sandstone structure two feet high

with a modern iron spout. The main structure is probably of 18th century date, with a stone

cover possibly of medieval date.

3.5 Market Place (HER 8046) and Associated Settlement (HER 8047)

From the relatively sparse information available it suggests that medieval settlement at

Bellingham was essentially manorial and what there was of it focused around the church to

the west of the Hareshaw Burn and a castle or defensible house, with a home (demesne)

farm to the east (mapped as HER 8047 and 8048). Apart from the church there are no

standing medieval buildings in the town and the property boundaries shown on post-medieval

maps are not characteristic of medieval burgage plots. The earliest cartographic evidence for

the form of the town is Armstrong’s Map of Northumberland of 1769 which shows a triangular

open space immediately to the north-east of the church bordered by houses; however, it is

possible that this layout reflects an earlier, medieval layout. A Saturday market is mentioned

in the Iter of Wark of 1297 (Bulmer 1877, 565) and it can be conjectured that the open area in

front of the church was a market place from the medieval period into the post-medieval

period. Subsequently, in the 19th century, this area was infilled with buildings, a pattern of

encroachment that parallels the development of the market area in Alnwick.

It can be postulated, therefore, that although surviving buildings and property boundaries are

of a later date, medieval properties bounded the former market place. An area encompassing

the church and the area around the conjectured medieval market place has, therefore, been

mapped as an area of medieval settlement (HER 8047; see figure 3).

3.6 Bridge (HER 8024) and Ford (HER 8049)

There is documentary evidence for the presence of a bridge across the river just below

Bellingham during the medieval period, reputedly the scene of another miracle of St Cuthbert.

This bridge was lost at a later date and for a considerable period there was no bridge over the

Tyne above Chollerford, although the river was fordable in the summer months at Bellingham.

House (1952, 10) sites the ford “at the bottom of Wellbank” and on the modern map the area

behind the current rectory is called “Summer Ford”.

Bellingham 11

3.7 Mill (HER 8025)

A mill stood on the Hareshaw Burn at Bellingham, close to the castle, for which in 1263 the

Bellingham family paid £10 rent to the King of Scotland (Tomlinson 1888, 214). Further

research would be required to ascertain if this postulated mill has not been conflated

historically with a mill within the demesne at Wark on Tyne which in 1279 was rented by

William and Robert de Bellingham (Hartshorne 1858, 256). A mill is certainly marked on the

first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1863, about 450m to the south of the castle mound.

3.8 Common Pasture (HER 8027)

A survey of 1604 locates the Common Pasture of Bellingham at Hareshaw, to the north of the

town (Dodds 1940, 235). In 1815 there was a dispute over the rights to the waste of

Hareshaw Common between the Duke of Northumberland and the Commissioners of the

Greenwich Hospital, which found in favour of the Hospital.

3.9 Tynedale Forest

In 1279 William of Bellingham held two-thirds of the manor of Bellingham for the service he

provided as the King of Scotland’s forester in Tynedale forest. The forest probably covered

the hillsides of the North Tyne above Bellingham. Hedley notes that there are examples of old

woodland remaining which have probably not changed greatly in 500 years, for example

between Riding and Charlton (1950, 102).

4 POST-MEDIEVAL AND EARLY NINETEENTH-CENTURY (figure 4)

4.1 Context of the Settlement

In 1541 the King’s Commissioners described Bellingham as “the highest and uttermost in

habitation” (Hodgson 1828, 231) but Harbottle and Newman (1973, 142) suggest that the

commissioners were in error when they thought that the town was the most remote settlement

in the North Tyne valley. There is evidence for more than 70 settlements, probably belonging

to the 16th century, along either side of the North Tyne with Bellingham acting as a nodal

centre for the area. Despite this, the town did not develop significantly over the post-medieval

period as the surrounding area was poor and remained so; for example, in the later 18th

century when improvements were being made in farming methods in many other areas of the

county, they were not applied to the moorland and lower grade valley pastures in the

Bellingham area (House 1952, 8).

The manorial rights to Bellingham eventually passed to the Gibsons at Stagshaw Close

House in the 18th century. In 1817, they sold the rights to the Commissioners of the

Bellingham 12

Greenwich Hospital (Dodds 1940, 237). Later in the 19th century, the township was largely

divided between Sir John Haggerston and the Duke of Northumberland (Bulmer 1877, 564).

4.2 Layout

There are only few early maps of Bellingham: Armstrong’s map of 1769 (fig 5), although to a

small scale, does show some detail of the layout of the town centre. Houses border two sides

of an elongated triangle (a market place) adjoining the church and the settlement does not

extend beyond what is now Kings Street and Parkside Place. The extent of the town at this

period is shown on figure 4. Unlike the present day arrangement, the road running from the

south east point of the triangle followed the north bank to a crossing of the North Tyne

midway between Bellingham and Redesmouth (House 1952, 10). The form changed little

between maps of 1769 and 1827, when a survey by Greenwood was carried out, although in

the latter buildings extend further north and the open triangular space has been encroached

upon. There are a few buildings remaining in Bellingham which date from this period, the

finest of which may be Numbers 1-3 High Street, formerly one house dating from the 18th

century, with an older core with Grade II status (HER8013). Other buildings from this period

include North View on Front Street (HER8011), an 18th century cottage which may

incorporate an older core, and has Grade II listed status (DOE 1985) and the row of three

stone houses (HER8050) opposite the Town Hall (date stone of 1731).

The town can be considered typical of small settlements in the North Tyne Valley where

defence against Border raiding was important, and thus a castle or defensive house had local

importance, but did not have regional significance. The castle or defensible house to the east

of the Hareshaw Burn appears to have eventually fallen into disuse and disrepair, probably

toward the end of this period. There are a few 18th century houses surviving in the town today.

Further investigation of primary sources might allow a fuller picture of the post-medieval town

to be developed than that which is currently afforded by secondary sources.

4.3 Places of Worship

The 13th century Church of St Cuthbert (HER 7994) was almost entirely reconstructed in the

early 17th century. Although this rebuilding removed parts of the medieval church it

contributed the most remarkable feature of the church today – the barrel-vaulted roof of the

nave and transept. This is formed of closely-spaced transverse ribs, 15 in the nave and 7 in

the south transept. It is a church ‘exceptional in Northumberland’ (Pevsner 1992, 165), and

‘almost unique in England’ (Tomlinson 1888, 214). In the 18th century, a segmental-headed

window was made by enlarging one of the 17th century lancets and the nave walls were

strengthened by external buttresses in 1763, similar to those at Simonburn church. The stone

floor probably dates from around the same time (Dodds 1940, 227-8). Parts of the church

were also restored in the 1860s. A Presbyterian chapel (HER 8043), now called the Old

Bellingham 13

Manse c.1800 (Bulmer 1877, 568) was converted to a dwelling when the new chapel was

built in 1882-3 (HER 8005).

4.4 School

In 1730 Isabella Reed left a sum of money to her brother John Reed of Chipchase along with

instructions to build a school at Bellingham (Dodds 1940, 232-3).

Figure 4: Post-medieval town (blue tone) and 19th century expansion (pink)

5 NINETEENTH CENTURY (figure 4)

5.1 Industrial Development

Towards the middle of the 19th century, Bellingham experienced a period of unprecedented

economic and physical growth when Hareshaw Ironworks (HER 7993) was set up

immediately to the north of the town. Most of the structures in modern Bellingham date from

this period or afterwards. As noted in Pevsner, the “little town has not much that is old, but it is

attractive nevertheless, characterised by good 19th century shop fronts and a wealth of late

19th century railings” (1992, 165). These include a row of shops in Parkside Place, three out

Bellingham 14

of four having retained their 19th century shop fronts, although none currently have listed

building status.

Comparison between Armstrong’s map of 1769 and Greenwood’s of 1827 shows a general

expansion of the town on the west side of the Hareshaw Burn. The central open space had

been partly filled in by a row of stone cottages and housing had also spread along the slope

down to the bridge over the Hareshaw Burn and north along the road to Otterburn. The Union

Workhouse (HER 8034) is dated in Whellan’s directory to 1839 (1855, 855). Other notable

buildings date from the earlier part of the 19th century. They include Nos 1-3 King Street

(HER 8014) early 19th century cottages and a later 19

th century shop which have Grade II

listed status; Nos 1 and 2 West View (HER 8022) and Homelea (HER 8010), on Front Street,

are early 19th century houses with Grade II listed status. A rectory (HER 8020) for St

Cuthbert’s was erected by the Commissioners of the Greenwich Hospital probably by H H

Seward – Whellan’s directory dates it to 1828 (1855, 854) and Bulmer’s directory and

Pevsner to 1818 (Bulmer 1877, 58; Pevsner 1992, 165). The former stables and carriage

house (HER 8021) at the rectory now function as a garage and stores; all have Grade II listed

status.

In the ten years after 1841, the number of houses in Bellingham just about tripled. A number

of long low terraces were built for the iron workers on the slopes north of the town,

immediately accessible to the works. A mid-19th century plan of Hareshaw Ironworks (NRO

BG 36) shows the new housing including the terrace of cottages at Bellum Brae (HER 8030)

which is shown as a row of ten cottages, of which six still survive, now called Cruddas

Terrace (Linsley 1978b, 13). Other terraces built to house the iron workers are now

demolished and included Percy Row (HER 9031), Upper Hall Row (HER 8032),

Northumberland Terrace and two other unnamed terraces (HER 8033) (possibly Hutchinson

Street and Nobel Street) which are marked on the same ironworks plan (NRO BG 36) and the

first edition Ordnance Survey. The founding of the Mechanics Institute (HER 8040) in 1846

(Whellan 1855, 855) was, unsurprisingly, associated with this period of development.

The closing of the ironworks in 1848 meant that the population of Bellingham fell immediately.

House (1952, 12-13) notes that by 1851, 171 of the 318 habitable dwellings in the town were

empty. And Linsley (1978, 11) mentions that in 1852, 68 of the 90 workers cottages were

unoccupied. Three of the rows of workers houses survived into the 1950s (House 1952, 12-

13) and now part of the area has been redeveloped with houses at Hillside, Braeside and

Lorien. The growth of the ironworks and the population of Bellingham in the 1840s led to an

increase in the numbers of shops in the town (House 1952, 13). In 1855 Whellan’s Directory

lists 11 grocers in Bellingham (1855, 856) compared with the five listed in Parson and White’s

Directory of 1828. Even in 1877, ten appear in Bulmer’s Directory (576-7) enhancing

Bellingham’s role as a service centre. Mackenzie noted that in the 1820s the Saturday market

Bellingham 15

at Bellingham had become of little consequence. But by the end of the century the town was

described as the principal market town of the North Tyne district (Alexander 1897, 9) and the

wool fair at Bellingham was one of the largest in the county (Tomlinson 1888, 215).

The First Edition Ordnance Survey of Bellingham for 1863 still shows the disused ironworks

but with some housing demolished. The appearance of the present town dates to a large

extent from the second half of the 19th and first part of the 20

th centuries, with many older

properties being replaced, and the central market place of the town infilled. In the late 19th

century, some substantial terraces and detached villas were added on the fringes of the old

town (House 1952, 14 and 17). Other notable additions at this time include the Town Hall

(HER8012) on Front Street which is Grade II listed. It has a “rustic” wooden frontage with a

lead clock turret and a lead spire. The impressive Lloyds Bank (HER8015) on Front Street

dated c.1900 is also Grade II listed. In the 20th century, council housing has expanded the

town further.

5.2 Places of Worship

A Presbyterian Chapel (HER 8005), now a United Reformed Church, was built in 1882-3 by

W L Newcombe and replaced an earlier chapel dated 1806 (Stell 1994 and Bulmer 1877,

568). A Methodist Chapel (HER 8041) was also built in the town in 1896.

In 1800, Edward Charlton and others conveyed land at Bellingham to found a Roman

Catholic Chapel (HER 8026) but the specific location of this first chapel is not known. It was

found to be inconvenient and a new one, the Church of St Oswald (HER 8007), was built in

1839 on land at Doctors Close, Shaw near Bellingham (Dodds 1940, 233). It was designed by

Ignatius Bonomi and is Grade II listed. The associated church hall (HER 8009) was built as

a school in 1849 and is also Grade II listed.

5.3 Schools

A free school (HER 8028) was built and demolished in 1851 to be re-built on the same site,

next to the church (Whellan 1855, 854 and Bulmer 1877, 568-9) and was later used until 1950

as a Church of England school. The British School (HER 8029) was built in 1857 on the

Otterburn Road (Bulmer 1877, 569).

5.4 Bridges

The bridge (HER 8002) at Bellingham was one part of a plan by the Greenwich

Commissioners to open up their estates. They commissioned the engineer Macadam to build

a road from Hexham to Bellingham where, in 1834, a bridge was erected across the North

Tyne (Dodds 1940, 234). The single storey Toll House (HER 8006) was also built in 1834 by

John Green and is Grade II listed. Previously, the river had been crossed by ferry (House

Bellingham 16

1952, 11) and ford (HER 8049). A stone bridge (HER 8045) across the Hareshaw Burn was

built after the previous wooden footbridge was swept away by flood in 1911.

5.5 Railway (HER 7811)

The Border Counties Railway extended a branch line to Bellingham in 1862 (Linsley 1978b,

12). There were hopes at the time that the railway would allow the ironworks to reopen, but

the growth of the industry in Teesside still made this an entirely uneconomic proposition

(Linsley 1978, 17). A station (HER 8001) was built in 1895 at Bellingham. The railway finally

closed in 1956.

5.6 Hareshaw Ironworks (HER 7993)

Hareshaw Ironworks is a Scheduled Ancient Monument (ND594). This short-lived works

(1836-48) was probably the most remarkable development in the history of Bellingham. It

was one of a number of widespread sites in the region which grew up to satisfy the rising

demand for iron from the 1830s onwards. It exploited local supplies of coal, iron ore and

limestone. Its early demise was the result of the exhaustion of raw materials and its peripheral

location relative to markets compared with rivals on Teesside. Even its temporary success is

rather surprising in view of the poor transport of the times; iron was moved by indifferent

roads over considerable distances to Newcastle and Tyneside (House 1952, 12) where

amongst other things, iron from Bellingham was used in the construction of the High Level

Bridge over the Tyne.

The enterprise at Bellingham was established by Messrs Bigge, Cargill and Johnson. It used

two blast furnaces initially, with another coming into production in 1840. The works were

acquired by Messrs Woods, Parker and Co. shortly afterwards and then in 1846 by the Union

Bank of Newcastle. The works closed in 1848 (Bulmer 1877, 561) and was ruinous by the

1860s (Linsley 1978, 16-17).

Iron ore was obtained from the hills north of Bellingham and from Redesdale Common to the

north east (House 1952, 12). The First Edition Ordnance Survey of 1863 shows an area just

to the north of the ironworks as “old workings” and “ironstone levels” (HER 8035). About

350m to the east another area of iron workings is shown, and includes shaft number 1 with

shaft number 2 a little further to the east (HER 8036 and 8037 respectively). Coal from the

local Hareshaw Head Pit (still working in 1952) was unsuitable for either coking coal, for use

in blast furnaces, or for calcining iron ore, which meant that fuel had to be brought from

Plashetts Colliery at considerable cost in spite of a mineral line running down the North Tyne

valley (House 1952, 12; Linsley 1978, 17). Surviving company records show that the three

blast furnaces were blown by a 70 horsepower water wheel and a 120 horsepower steam

engine. In addition, there were 70 coke ovens, 24 roasting kilns, a range of coal stores, and a

railway on gears communicating with the stores. Other structures included offices, a joiners

Bellingham 17

shop, a smithy, a large store, stables and a waggon shed while tramways and waggonways

(HER8038) communicated with several buildings, the mines and the quarries (Linsley 1978b,

11).

Today, the site of Hareshaw Ironworks has reverted largely to pasture with demolished

remains showing as irregular earthworks. Grass-covered waste heaps on adjacent hillsides

are the most visible evidence of the once industrial landscape. The main blast furnace site is

largely occupied by a modern factory. Still visible structures include the remains of the works

dam across the Hareshaw Burn, built in 1838. It now stands to half its original height of 6m. It

was consolidated in the early 21st century. The remains were consolidated at the beginning of

the 21st century. A nearby tramway formation can be followed to the earthworks of the

collapsed coke ovens 20m above the floor of the main ironworks site. The site of the blowing

engine house and the water wheel also survive as earthworks. The agricultural buildings of

Foundry Farm, which lie across the site, may have been constructed from material salvaged

from the demolished ironworks (Linsley 1978b, 13). Other remains include the lower parts of a

furnace stack and the foundry yard. Earthwork features, recorded by Linsley in the late 1970s

have become less sharply defined. A row of houses, adjacent to the current ambulance

station, built to house the manager and officers of the works (Roberts and West 1998, 62), is

still standing. The site is managed by the Northumberland National Park Authority.

The works are a very important example of factory-scale production and development of

ironworking, with associated waggonways works buildings, offices and workers’ housing in a

rural setting. Although the standing remains of the works represent a fraction of the complete

complex, the site has great archaeological potential.

5.7 Tile Works (HER 8039)

Some of the disused buildings of Hareshaw Ironworks were re-let as a tilery (Linsley 1978b,

12). The first edition Ordnance Survey of 1863 shows a tile works near to the former works.

The manager of the tilery and a tile worker are listed in Whellan’s directory of 1855 (855).

5.8 Bottle Works (HER 8044)

A 19th century bottle works stood on the west bank of the Hareshaw Burn.

Bellingham 18

PART TWO: ARCHAEOLOGICAL POTENTIAL OF BELLINGHAM

6 RESEARCH FRAMEWORK

This section deals with the possibility of discovering archaeological remains within Bellingham

in the course of development and to what extent these remains can contribute to the

understanding of the past of the town and the country as a whole. To be meaningful, any

archaeological input in Bellingham should be weighed against the value of the likely returns.

The most useful way of assessing this value is for it to be set against locally and nationally

agreed research agendas which will allow relevant work to be to planned and delivered to

best value. Developer-funded archaeological work within Northumberland will always refer to

these national and local research frameworks.

Historic towns represent one of the most complex and important forms of archaeological

evidence, some having been occupied over two millennia (English Heritage 1992, 13). As well

as information about the overall development of urban settlement and its planning, towns can

also provide information on defence, ecclesiastical organisation, crafts, commerce, industry

and the environment as well as about the individual occupants of a town and how they lived

and died. As more work is carried out in our urban centres because of archaeological

intervention in the planning process, more information is being accumulated. It is important

that this information is synthesized and made accessible publicly, enabling archaeologists

and other researchers to analyse this material to create a national picture of urban settlement

change. Bellingham, with its medieval origins, location within a disputed border zone, plus its

brief period of industrialisation in the 19th century, will have a useful role to play in this

research.

This assessment has suggested that the most likely areas to contain archaeological remains

will be around the castle, the church, the present day market place and the area which once

formed the ironworks.

6.1 Prehistoric and Roman Potential

The area around Bellingham has a number of prehistoric and Romano-British sites, but within

the town there are no known remains of these times. It is considered unlikely that major

prehistoric or Roman remains will be uncovered in the town and as such it is not considered

to have an as yet definable contribution to make to national or local research objectives.

6.2 Medieval Potential

Although Bellingham is a medieval foundation, insufficient archaeological fieldwork has as yet

been carried out to determine either the full extent of the occupation or its nature.

Bellingham 19

We can say with certainty, however, that the parish church and probably the castle mound

would have been the foci of this settlement, and that any development in their vicinity would

have a high potential to impact on medieval remains. Within these areas, archaeological

recording may be required depending on the scale of development, either before the

determination of a planning application, or as a mitigating measure as part of a planning

permission. The castle mound appears to have been reduced in size and encroached upon

by modern building, so reducing its archaeological potential.

Although the street plan and market place are not certainly of medieval origin, archaeological

remains of medieval date may well survive beneath any of the properties along High Street,

Fore Street and Front Street and land to the rear. Structurally, numbers 1-3 High Street and

North View on Front Street may have older cores behind 18th century facades.

6.2.1 Research Agenda: The Growth of the Medieval Town

What was the extent and character of the medieval settlement?

Why has the street plan never conformed to the typical medieval pattern of linear

plots running back from street frontages? Was the settlement dispersed or did

poverty brought about by the Scottish wars ensure that no effort was put into creating

a formal street layout?

Where were the medieval bridge and ford?

What was the layout of the medieval market place?

6.2.2 Research Agenda: The Parish Church of St Cuthbert

What was the character of the 12th century church and how much survives? Are there

remains buried around or within the present structure?

Are there surviving remains of the possible early 12th century church buried within or

around the present building?

Can a chronology of the church be established through detailed fabric recording and

analysis?

Can documentary research establish what relationship there was between the church

and chapel?

6.2.3 Research Agenda: The Castle Mound and Demesne Farm

What was the early extent and nature of the castle mound at Hallfield?

What was the relationship between the secular and ecclesiastical authorities at

Bellingham and how did this affect the layout of the settlement?

What is the origin and history of the structures at Demesne Farm?

Bellingham 20

6.2.4 Archaeological Priorities

In order to explore these areas of potential, the County Archaeologist will consider the

investigation of the historic core of Bellingham to be a high priority and specifications for

archaeological work will:

seek to explore the evolution and extent of the town from the medieval period: in

particular, to examine the area around the church, castle mound, Demesne Farm,

Front / High Street, and the market place.

wherever possible use building recording as a means for identifying earlier building

remains at the Demesne Farm and the Church, so that the evolution, date and

function of these buildings can be examined. Also, as the opportunity arises,

properties along the High Street and Front Street should be examined for earlier

building cores contained within later facades, especially numbers 1-3 High Street and

North View on Front Street.

ensure that works to the church which require a Faculty from the Diocesan Advisory

Committee are accompanied by archaeological recording to help establish a ground

plan for the early church, record the development of its structure and deal

appropriately with human remains impacted by any parish works

6.3 Post-Medieval and Nineteenth Century Potential

Before Armstrong’s map of 1769 the extent of post-medieval Bellingham is uncertain. Maps

from the 19th century show the settlement lay to the north of the church and the triangular

market area had been encroached upon. Hareshaw Ironworks is already recognised as being

nationally important, although the scheduling does not take in the entire extent of the works or

the housing associated with it. Remains of the ironworks and associated workers’ housing are

visible, variously as earthworks, foundations and extant structures. Most of the site remains

undeveloped and therefore preservation should be excellent. The remains, both domestic and

industrial, have considerable potential to provide information relating to a distinct industrial

community within the town. In this respect, Bellingham can offer research potential at a

national as well as a local level into an important industrial landscape at a key moment in the

Industrial Revolution.

6.3.1 Research Agenda: The Built Landscape

What was the character and nature of buildings in the town before the 18th century?

Can detailed building recording and analysis add to our understanding of the

development of domestic properties in the town?

Did the introduction of the railway influence or dilute any surviving vernacular

tradition?

What influence did part-ownership of the town by the Greenwich Hospital

Commissioners have on its development and growth?

Bellingham 21

As the Greenwich Hospital Commissioners also owned part of nearby Wark-on-Tyne

did the processes of change in one town have an effect on the other??

6.3.2 Research Agenda: The Growth of Nonconformism

Can we establish the number of nonconformist chapels in Bellingham in the 18th and

19th centuries through existing documentary research and establish their location and

degree of survival?

6.3.3 Research Agenda: The Industrial Revolution

A detailed survey and selective excavation of Hareshaw Ironworks will improve our

understanding of such industrial landscapes and meet national research priorities.

Can we define the locations and extent of smaller-scale industries already

established through documentary sources, eg. bottle works, tile works and coal

mining?

What were the main sources of investment in the town during the industrial period?

6.3.4 Archaeological Considerations

The extent of post-medieval and 19th century Bellingham is shown on Figure 4 and within

these areas, archaeological briefs and specifications will direct archaeological contractors

working in Bellingham to consider:

the usefulness of building recording in assessing the development of homes and the

changing use of space within them

the impact on the town of the rise and fall of Hareshaw Ironworks

the changes in settlement pattern brought about by the limited sponsorship of

industry and the purchase of land by Greenwich Hospital

the potential for excavation within the historic core to reveal evidence of smaller

industries

the potential role of building recording to identify nonconformist chapels

the potential of the archives of Greenwich Hospital Commissioners and the Ridley

Estate for evidence of changing settlement patterns and investment in the town

the potential for comparison with Wark-on-Tyne, where Greenwich Hospital

Commissioners also owned part of the town.

Bellingham 22

PART THREE: ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE PLANNING PROCESS

7 THE EXISTING FRAMEWORK

The protection and management of archaeological remains in England is achieved through a

combination of statutory and policy based measures. For what are considered to be the most

important sites, those of national significance, statutory protections are conferred. For many

other sites, those which are considered to be of regional or local significance, protection is

provided through planning legislation and policy guidance. An indication of best practice for

the protection and management of all archaeological sites is provided by Planning Policy

Statement 5 issued by the Government.

7.1 Planning Policy Statement 5: Planning for the Historic Environment was

published in 2010 and replaces Planning Policy Guidance Note 16: Archaeology and

Planning (PPG16) and Planning Policy Guidance Note 15: Planning and the Historic

Environment (PPG15). PPS5 is supported by a companion Historic Environment Planning

Practice Guide endorsed by Communities and Local Government, the Department for Culture,

Media and Sport (DCMS) and English Heritage. The practice guide contains general and

specific advice on the application of the PPS.

PPS5 recognises a heritage asset as a building, monument, site, place, area or landscape

positively identified as having a degree of significance meriting consideration in planning

decisions. It recognises that heritage assets are a non-renewable resource which should be

conserved and enjoyed for the quality of life they bring to this and future generations. It

indicates that planning decisions should be made based on the nature, extent and level of

significance investigated to a degree proportionate to the importance of the heritage asset

(para 7). It establishes the principle that nationally important heritage assets and their

settings, whether scheduled or not, should be preserved except in exceptional circumstances

(HE9 and 10).

Policies HE6 and 8 require that local planning authorities should ensure that sufficient

information on the significance of any heritage assets accompanies all applications with

assessment being carried out by appropriate experts. In the case of archaeological assets,

this may require desk-based assessment and where an assessment is insufficient to properly

assess the situation, field evaluation may be required. Assessment and evaluation should be

proportionate to the importance of the known or potential asset and no more than is required

to understand the impact of the proposal on the significance of the asset. Where assessment

and evaluation is required this needs to be undertaken prior to the submission of an

application and included within the required Design and Access Statement (HE6 and 8). Pre-

application discussion with the Local Planning Authority (LPA) is recommended (HE8), in

Bellingham 23

particular Northumberland Conservation, who provide planning advice to the local authority on

heritage issues.

Where the loss of part or all of the asset is justified, LPAs should require the developer to

record and advance an understanding of the heritage asset before it is lost. Such actions can

be secured by condition. The extent of mitigation requirements should be proportionate to the

significance of the asset (HE12). These procedures are examined in more detail in section 7.7

and 7.8 below.

7.2 Scheduled Ancient Monuments

The most important sites in the country are protected under the terms of section 1 of the

Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act (1979). For any works carried out on or in

the vicinity of these sites consent must be granted by the Department for Culture Media and

Sport (DCMS), who take advice on these matters from English Heritage (EH). Scheduling is in

many ways unsuited to widespread application in urban areas. It is not designed to protect

extensive areas, but rather protects well-defined and easily identifiable monuments. Nor does

it adapt well to protecting archaeological remains where the precise nature of deposits is not

known. It is therefore necessary to protect many urban archaeological remains through the

planning process and if necessary by controlling or reducing sub-surface interference through

an Article 4 direction under the Town and Country Planning General Development Order

1988.

7.3 Listed Buildings

This is a statutory designation, the equivalent of scheduling for a building. Listed buildings can

be altered, but only after due consideration to the nature of the building and its historic

context. There is currently a range of listing grades: grades I and II* are protected directly by

English Heritage, grade II by local authorities.

7.4 Conservation Areas

Conservation Areas are designated by the local planning authority under the terms of the

Planning (Listed Buildings and Archaeological Areas) Act 1990. Conservation Areas are put in

place in parts of towns which are considered to be of special architectural or historic interest,

the character of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance. There are more than 50

Conservation Areas in Northumberland but Bellingham is currently not one of them.

7.5 Archaeological Sites without Statutory Designation

The majority of archaeological sites in England are not protected by statutory means. These

are looked after and managed by local authorities. Measures for the protection of both known

and (prior to discovery) unknown archaeological sites are set out as policies within the

Bellingham 24

statutory development plan and include specific requirements as well as reference to

nationally agreed planning policy guidelines and statutory obligations.

7.6 Development Plan Policies

Responsibility for the protection and management of archaeological sites and the historic

environment falls upon the Local Planning Authority (LPA). To assist the LPA in preserving

the built and natural environment, the statutory development plan contains a comprehensive

set of planning policies. For Bellingham, the statutory development plan comprises the

Tynedale District Local Development Framework Core Strategy and the saved policies of the

Tynedale District Wide Local Plan. The Regional Spatial Strategy was revoked in July 2010.

The relevant policies within the Tynedale Local Development Framework Core Strategy are:

Core Strategy Policy BE1 (extract from)

The principles for the built environment are to: a) Conserve and where appropriate enhance the quality and integrity of Tynedale’s built environment and its historic features including archaeology, giving particular protection to listed buildings, scheduled monuments and conservation areas. b) Give specific protection to the Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site and its setting.

The saved policies of the Tynedale District Wide Local Plan relating to the protection and

management of archaeological sites and the historic environment are:

Policy BE25 There will be a presumption in favour of the physical preservation in situ of Scheduled Ancient Monuments and other nationally important archaeological sites. Development, which would be detrimental to these sites or their settings, will not be permitted. Policy BE27 Development, which would be detrimental to regionally or locally important archaeological sites or their settings, will not be permitted unless the proposed development is considered to be of overriding regional importance and no alternative site is available.

Policy BE28 Where it is not clear how important an archaeological site is, or where the impact of a development proposal on an existing archaeological site is uncertain, the developer will be required to provide further information in the form of an archaeological assessment and, where such an assessment indicates that important archaeological remains may be affected, a full archaeological evaluation.

Policy BE29 Where sites or monuments of archaeological importance would be affected by development, their preservation in situ is preferred. Where the site is not considered to be of sufficient importance to merit preservation in situ and development is subsequently permitted, planning permission will be subject to an archaeological condition, or a Planning Obligation will be sought, which will require the excavation and recording of the remains prior to or during the development. In such instances, publication of the findings will also be required.

These objectives are implemented through the planning system and through protective

Bellingham 25

legislation.

7.7 Pre-Application Discussion

Early consultation with Northumberland Conservation on planning proposals is of enormous

importance and is highlighted in PPS5. Where assessment and evaluation are required, this

needs to be undertaken prior to the submission of an application and included within the

required Design and Access Statement in line with PPS5 policies HE6 and 8.

Northumberland Conservation can provide an initial appraisal of whether known or potential

heritage assets of significance are likely to be affected by a proposed development and can

give advice on the steps that may need to be taken at each stage of the process.

7.7.1 Desk-Based Assessment

Information on the likely impact a proposed development will have on the remains can be

estimated from existing records (including this report), historical accounts and reports of

archaeological work in the vicinity, in conjunction with a number of sources which suggest the

nature of deposits on the site, such as bore-hole logs and cellar surveys. This is presented in

a standard format, known as a Desk-Based Assessment, prepared by an archaeological

consultant on behalf of the applicant, to a specification drawn up by, or in agreement with,

Northumberland Conservation, which can assist by providing a list of organisations which do

work of this sort (see Policy BE28, above).

Pre-application consultation with Northumberland Conservation is vital as desk-based

assessment may not be necessary in many instances but where required, it will need to be

submitted with the planning application.

7.7.2 Field Evaluation

Where an assessment is insufficient to properly assess the impact of a proposed

development on known or potential heritage assets, field evaluation may be required. The

requirements of this stage will also be determined by Northumberland Conservation. It may

require a range of survey and analytical techniques including limited excavation. An

evaluation is designed to provide sufficient information about the extent, character and

preservation of archaeological remains to judge what planning decision would be appropriate

and, if necessary, what mitigation measures should be adopted (see Policy BE28, above).

Pre-application consultation with Northumberland Conservation is vital as evaluation may not

be necessary in some instances but where required, it will need to be submitted with the

planning application.

Bellingham 26

7.8 Archaeological Planning Conditions

The Planning Authority can make the appropriate decision (in the context of the Policies set

out in the statutory development plan) on whether or not to give consent to the scheme,

based the information provided by the Historic Environment Record and assessment and

evaluation reports, where necessary. If it is considered that an application can be consented,

steps may be required to mitigate its impact on the archaeological remains. This can

sometimes be achieved by simply designing the scheme to avoid disturbance, for example by

the use of building techniques that ensure minimal ground disturbance. If planning permission

is given and archaeological remains will be unavoidably destroyed, the developer may be

required to ensure that these remains are archaeologically investigated, analysed and

published. In this situation, the requirements for further work will normally be attached to the

Planning Consent as conditions, such as the standard Northumberland Conservation

condition detailed below:

A programme of archaeological work is required in accordance with the brief provided by Northumberland Conservation (NC ref X dated X). The archaeological scheme shall comprise three stages of work. Each stage shall be completed and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority before it can be discharged: a) No development or archaeological mitigation shall commence on site until a written scheme of investigation based on the brief has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. b) The archaeological recording scheme required by the brief must be completed in accordance with the approved written scheme of investigation. c) The programme of analysis, reporting, publication and archiving if required by the brief must be completed in accordance with the approved written scheme of investigation.

7.8.1 Written Scheme of Investigation

This is a detailed document which sets out the extent and the nature of archaeological work

required, including any necessary analyses and research, finds collection, conservation and

deposition policies as well as likely publication requirements. This document is usually

prepared by the contracting archaeologist, who will undertake the work, to a brief prepared by

Northumberland Conservation.

7.8.2 The Range of Archaeological Fieldwork

The range of archaeological requirements set out in the Written Scheme of Investigation will

vary. Many sites in historic urban areas will require full excavation. Frequently, though, the

small-scale of disturbance associated with a development, or the low probability that

archaeological remains will have once existed or survived on the site, will mean that a less

intensive level of observation and recording is required. This may take the form of a Watching

Brief; this is the timetabled presence of a suitably qualified archaeologist at the point when

ground work on a site is underway. Any archaeological deposits encountered will be quickly

recorded and any finds collected, without undue disruption to the construction work. Again,

Northumberland Conservation will provide the brief for the Watching Brief and the contracting

Bellingham 27

archaeologist will provide a detailed Written Scheme of Investigation which complies with the

brief.

7.8.3 Building Recording

Where historic standing buildings form a component of the archaeological resource affected

by development, there may be a need to undertake building recording in advance of

demolition or renovation. This requirement may apply to listed and unlisted buildings and will

be dependent on the historical interest of the building; outwardly unprepossessing structures

may contain important information about past communities and industries and will merit

recording by qualified archaeologists or building historians to an agreed specification.

Developers may wish to incorporate the potential for unexpected discoveries into their risk-

management strategies. The PPS5 Practice Guide (paragraph 141) provides advice on the

rare instances where, as a result of implementing a consent, a new asset is discovered or the

significance of an existing asset is increased in a way that could not reasonably have been

foreseen at the time of the application. It advises the local planning authority to work with the

developer to seek a solution that protects the significance of the new discovery, so far as is

practical, within the existing scheme. The extent of modifications will be dependant on the

importance of the discovery and new evidence may require a local planning authority to

consider reviewing its decision. Discoveries of treasure or human remains will need to be

reported in accordance with the relevant legislation. English Heritage wishes to be informed if

the discoveries are likely to merit designation.

The National Heritage Protection Commissions Programme Guidance on PPS5 Assistance

Cases released in July 2010 indicates that English Heritage recognises that the best-planned

and informed schemes can occasionally result in entirely unexpected discoveries of national

significance, and therefore it may be possible to apply for funding as a last resort to ensure

that a suitable record is made prior to destruction or loss of significance. English Heritage will

only consider financial assistance towards the investigation, analysis or dissemination of such

nationally significant discoveries if:

The discovery is genuinely unexpected and could not have been predicted

The asset discovered is of national significance

The planning process set out in PPS5 has been followed

Every effort can be demonstrated to have been made to accommodate unexpected discoveries within the available resources by prioritising the most important elements of the asset(s) being investigated

The request for funding must come from the appropriate local government heritage officer

with responsibility for the case and not directly from the contractors or consultants conducting

the investigation. Funding will be provided via the National Heritage Protection Commissions

Bellingham 28

Programme (replacing the Historic Environment Enabling Programme in April 2011). English

Heritage must be consulted at the earliest possible juncture so that they have an opportunity

to shape the response to the unexpected discoveries. English Heritage will not consider

retrospective applications to cover costs already incurred when they have not be consulted on

or agreed to the response and its cost implications. The first point of contact should be the

North-East English Heritage offices at Bessie Surtees House, 41-44 Sandhill, Newcastle upon

Tyne (0191 269 1200).

7.9.1 How is National Archaeological Importance Defined?

A number of assumptions will be made when determining whether archaeological remains are

nationally important or not. These have been set out by English Heritage (1992, 47):

i) the further back in time the origins of the form the greater the interest to archaeology;

ii) the fewer the number of examples believed to exist the greater the interest that

attaches to those places as representatives of their form;

iii) the greater the variation that can be perceived within any defined form the higher the

archaeological interest in terms of opportunities to explore spatial and temporal

variation in respect of social, economic, political, religious, and symbolic matters; and

iv) the more representative of the life and times of the periods during which defined

forms were current the greater the archaeological interest in terms of providing

insights into past lifestyles.

These assumptions are not intended to apply to all of the town at all times. Nor will all of these

assumptions be appropriate to all nationally important archaeological sites within the urban

area. Instead they are used to help create a value judgement on particular archaeological

remains and whether they may be nationally important or not. A number of discrimination

criteria will also be applied to archaeological remains discovered during the course of

development. These will relate more specifically to the remains uncovered and will include

their state of survival, their potential to provide archaeological evidence, previous

archaeological or historical documentation on site, their group value, diversity, and amenity

value. These criteria have been developed by the Secretary of State to determine whether

archaeological remains are nationally important or not.

In Bellingham, the majority of sites considered to be of archaeological interest are medieval

and 19th century in date. The ironworks is already recognised as being nationally important.

There is one Grade I listed building, the parish Church of St Cuthbert, which means that it is

of exceptional interest (less than 5% of buildings listed nationally are Grade I). All other

buildings are listed Grade II; these are buildings of special interest, which warrant every effort

to preserve them.

Bellingham 29

8 SOURCES

Bibliography

Anon, 1999. Information Sheet in Bellingham Church

Alexander, J, 1897. Illustrated Guide to Bellingham

Bulmer, 1877. Directory

Dodds, M H, 1940. A History of Northumberland, Vol 15

Goodman, A, 1992. “The Anglo-Scottish Marches” in Bartlett, R. and Mackay, A. Medieval

Frontier Societies

Fraser, C M, 1969. “Patterns of trade in the North-East of England 1265-1350”, Northern

History IV, 44-66

Harbottle, B and Newman, T G., 1973. “Excavations and survey on the Starsley Burn North

Tynedale”, Archaeologia Aeliana 5 series, 1

Hartshorne, C H, 1858. History of Antiquities of Northumberland, Vol 2

Hedley, W P, 1950. “The medieval forests of Northumberland”, Archaeologia Aeliana 4

series, 28

Hedley, W P, ?1953 Mss about North Tynedale, NRO ZHE 27

Hodgson, J, 1841. History of Northumberland, part II, Vol III

House, J W, 1952. Bellingham and Wark a Comparative Survey

Hunter Blair, C H, 1944. “The early castles of Northumberland”, Archaeologia Aeliana 4th

series, 22

Linsley, S. Industrial Archaeology File

Linsley, S, 1978. “Hareshaw Ironworks”, Northumbrian, 12, 15-17

Linsley, S, 1978. “Hareshaw Ironworks”, Northumbrian, 13, 11-14

Mackenzie, E, 1825. View of Northumberland, Vol. 2

Mawer, A, 1920. The Place Names of Northumberland and Durham

Parson and White, 1828. Directory

Petts, D, Gerrard, C et al., 2006. Shared Visions: The North-East Regional Research Framework for the Historic Environment Pevsner, N et al, 1992. The Buildings of England: Northumberland

Roberts, I and West, M, 1998. The Archive Photograph Series, Bellingham, North Tynedale

and Redesdale

Sewell, G W M, 1992. The North British Railways in Northumberland

Stell, C, 1994. An Inventory of Nonconformist Chapels and Meeting Houses in the North of

England

Tomlinson, W W, 1888. Comprehensive Guide to Northumberland

Whellan, 1877. Directory

Bellingham 30

Maps and Plans (Northumberland Record Office)

Plan of Hareshaw Ironworks, NRO BG 36

Plan of Bellingham Free School, 1851, NRO BG 43

Plan of Fairground, 19th century, NRO BG 33

Plan of Bellingham, no date, NRO BG 34

Plan of Bellingham in Main Street, mid-19th century, NRO BG 30

Armstrong, 1769, Map of Northumberland

Greenwood, 1827, Map of Northumberland

1st edition Ordnance Survey map, 1860

2nd edition Ordnance Survey map, 1897

3rd edition Ordnance Survey map, 1924

Bellingham tithe map parts 3 and 4, 1844 NRO 2950/8

Plan of St Cuthbert's church by C.F. Fowler n.d NRO 626/1

Documentary Sources (Northumberland Record Office)

Coal Company Prospectus, c. 1906, NRO BG 35

Photographs of Bellingham, 1870-1925, NRO 1366

Including:

Stacking Hay, Foundry Yard, 1919, NRO 1366/3

Coulson, Saddler, Ironmonger, NRO 1366/12

Bellingham Railway Station, 1935, NRO 1366/10

Percy Street, Bellingham, showing gardens to the rear, c. 1913, NRO 1366/9

Bellingham Foundry Yard c. 1900, NRO 1366/6

Deeds re property in Bellingham 1789-1877 NRO 39113

Tithe award 1845 NRO DT 32/1 M

Index to plan of Bellingham parish taken from tithe plan at the rectory 1888

NRO 2950/18

Dowsing survey of the parish church NRO 2190/8

Abstract and title, Greenwich Hospital to Bellingham fairs and markets

ZAN M13/D12

Photos of Bellingham NRO 1366

Typescript notes concerning Bellingham township and demesne and mill farms including

plans. Descent from the manor NRO 542/23

Deed 1743 NRO QRD 1 p 330

Parish records 1684-1910 NRO EP 48

Deed 1752 NRO QRD ½

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Newcastle Local Studies Library

Large Quantities of oaks and ashes to be sold Hesleyside, timber trade Newcastle Courant

1.2.1723-4 p 11

Bellingham, Bridge illustration c. 1890 VF 23732

St Cuthbert's Churchyard (Long Pack) photo c. 1900 VF 24259 // 1055/ K107

St Cuthbert's Church photo c. 1900 VF 33315 9116

Bellingham Presbyterian Church photo c. 1900 VF 24294/ 1024/ K79

St Oswald's Chruch Bellingham photo c. 1900 VF 28934

St Cuthbert's Well, photo c. 1900 VF 24263 1059/ K113

Bellingham, bridges photo c. 1900 VF 26478

Belligham, Fountain photo c. 1902 VF 24239/ 1034/ K88

Rose and Crown Bellingham, photo c. 1910 VF 31079/ 7501/ 1084

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APPENDIX 1: LISTED BUILDINGS

Grade I

Church of St Cuthbert 21/42 (HER7994)

Grade II

Bellingham Bridge 21/2 (HER8002)

Bridgend 21/2 (HER8006)

Lychgate to Bellingham Cemetery 5/3 (HER13400)

Church of St Oswald 21/4 (HER8007)

Monument to John Bell c.10yds north of St Oswald’s Church 21/5 (HER8008)

St Oswald’s Church Hall 21/6 (HER8009)

Homelea 21/18 (HER8010)

North View 21/19 (HER8011)

Town Hall 21/20 (HER8012)

Nos 1-3 High Street 21/28 (HER8013)

Nos 1-3 King Street 21/31 (HER8014)

Lloyds Bank 21/34 (HER8015)

Boer War Memorial Fountain 21/35 (HER8016)

Memorial to Gillespie children c.10yds south of St Cuthbert’s Church 21/43 (HER8017)

Memorial to Anne Heslop c.20yds south of St Cuthbert’s Church 21/44 (HER8018)

Robson family memorial c.30yds south-west of St Cuthbert’s Church 21/45 (HER8019)

St Cuthbert’s Well 21/46 (HER7983)

The Rectory 21/47 (HER8020)

Outbuildings c.10yds north-east of Bellingham Rectory 21/48 (HER8021)

Nos 1 and 2 West View 21/51 (HER8022)

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APPENDIX 2: HISTORIC MAPS

Figure 5: Armstrong’s map 1769 Ref ZBK sheets 4 and 5.

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Figure 6: Tithe Award 1845 Ref DT32 (with permission of the Diocese of Newcastle)

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Figure 7: First Edition 25 inch to 1 mile Sheet 68

Figure 8: Second Edition 25 inch to one mile Ref Sheet 68.6

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Figure 9: Third Edition 25 inch to 1 mile Ref Sheets 65.11 and 65.15

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APPENDIX 3: STRATEGIC SUMMARY

BELLINGHAM STRATEGIC SUMMARY A3.1 ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND Bellingham has been the focus of activity since at least the medieval period. The Extensive Urban Survey (EUS) combined documentary and cartographic evidence as Bellingham has not been the subject of extensive recent archaeological investigations.

Figure 10: Bellingham areas of archaeological sensitivity Prehistoric/Romano-British

The available evidence indicates that while it is located in a wider prehistoric and Romano-British landscape, no archaeological remains from those periods have been revealed within the historic town

Early Medieval

There is no evidence of an early medieval settlement at Bellingham Medieval Castle

Castle Mound to the east of Hareshaw Burn is likely to have housed a castle or at least a substantial fortified house with an associated Demesne (Home) Farm to the north-west.

While is possible that an early 12th century motte and bailey castle could have been

located on this site, some sources believe this is a natural mound subsequently utilised as a manorial seat.

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Settlement

The town plan shown on post-medieval maps is not characteristic of medieval burgage plots and therefore the location of the medieval settlement is difficult to accurately establish.

As the settlement appears to be essentially manorial in origin, it is likely to have focussed around the church of St. Cuthbert and castle.

The church is located to the east of Hareshaw Burn and 18th century maps show a

triangular market place to the north-east of the church which may have a medieval origin, presumably with medieval properties bounding its extent.

Other structures of medieval origin in Bellingham include St. Cuthbert’s Well in the churchyard wall, a bridge, ford and mill.

Post-Medieval

The town did not develop significantly over the post-medieval period. It is typical of small settlements in the North Tyneside Valley where the castle or defensive house had a local importance in the defence against Border raiding but little regional significance.

Kings Street and Parkside Place.

The few surviving buildings from this period include 1-3 High Street, North View on Front Street and three stone houses opposite the Town Hall.

Bellingham expanded from the late-18th into the early-19

th century, including a partial

infilling of the market place.

The town experienced a brief period of significant growth as a result of the setting up of the Hareshaw Ironworks to the north-east of the town. The records indicate that the town tripled in size for the 10 years after 1841 followed by an immediate reduction in the population resulting from the closure of the ironworks.

19th century buildings include various places of worship and schools

Industry

Hareshaw Ironworks was in use from 1836 to 1848.

Parts of the ironworks have been scheduled although historic maps show that associated remains extend over a wider area, which are also of significance. Further 19

th century industries included the tile works on the site of the disused ironworks and a

bottle works on the west bank of the Hareshaw Burn A3.2 SUMMARY OF SETTLEMENT SPECIFIC RESEARCH AGENDAS As part of the planning process, it is important to establish the significance of surviving remains, in order to provide an appropriate and informed response for planning applications with the potential to impact on archaeological remains. As stated in Part Two of the EUS, the most effective way of assessing the significance of archaeological remains is by comparing them with agreed national, regional and local research agendas and frameworks, particularly the North East Regional Research Framework (Petts et al, 2006). These research agendas are discussed in detail in the EUS and summarised below:

Prehistoric and Romano-British

No known prehistoric sites are located within the town of Bellingham. Early Medieval

No known early medieval sites are located within the town of Bellingham. Medieval

The location, presence, nature, extent and development of the medieval settlement, bridge, ford and mill.

The origin and history of the church, castle mound, market place and Demesne Farm.

Bellingham 39

The relationship between the secular and ecclesiastical authorities at Bellingham and how this affected the layout of the town.

Post-Medieval

The nature, extent and development of the post-medieval town.

The presence of earlier buildings incorporated within the 18th

century and later buildings.

As the Greenwich Commissioners who owner part of Bellingham also owned Wark-on-Tyne, did the processes of change in one town affect the other.

The nature and extent of the Ironworks, tile works and Bottle works.

A3.3 ARCHAEOLOGICAL REQUIREMENTS IN THE PLANNING PROCESS The Extensive Urban Survey (EUS) has identified the areas of greatest archaeological sensitivity and potential in Bellingham as summarised in the previous two sections. The attached plan further condenses the information into areas of high and medium archaeological sensitivity. As stated in the EUS report, the protection and management of archaeological remains in England is achieved through a combination of statutory protection and protection through planning legislation and policy guidance. This framework is summarised in Part Three of the EUS. There is a strong potential that archaeological work will be required by the Local Planning Authority on planning applications submitted within the areas highlighted as being of high and medium archaeological sensitivity. Areas outside the EUS area may also be of archaeological sensitivity, particularly remains associated with prehistoric activity. It is recommended that developers contact the Assistant County Archaeologist at Northumberland Conservation at the earliest opportunity, prior to the submission of a planning application, to establish if sites are of archaeological sensitivity and will require archaeological work as detailed below. The nature and extent of archaeological work required as part of the planning process will depend on the location of the development in relation to the most archaeologically sensitive areas, the size of the development and the level of previous disturbance on the site. This could comprise one or more of the following: Pre-application work 1. PPS5 indicates that, where assessment and/or evaluation are required on a site, the

results of this work will need to be submitted in support of the planning application, and therefore will need to be completed prior to the submission of the application.

2. The EUS is used as an aid in the decision making process and helps to highlight large or particularly archaeologically sensitive sites which may require further, site specific, assessment or evaluation. In order to locate trial trenches or test pits most effectively, the commissioned archaeological contractor will need to provide a detailed project design for the agreement of Northumberland Conservation prior to work commencing. The project design will need to include: i. A summary of all known archaeological remains and investigations in the

surrounding area ii. Historic maps of the specific site indicating earlier site layouts and the location of

structures and features iii. Any geotechnical, test pit data or records indicating the build-up of deposits

and/or modern truncation of the site 3. The subsequent evaluation will need to work to the parameters agreed in the project

design. Where undated features and deposits are revealed environmental sampling, analysis and radio carbon dating is likely to be required. The results of the fieldwork and any necessary post-excavation analysis or assessment will need to be provided in a report submitted with the planning application to enable an appropriate decision to be made.

4. It is important to have a good understanding of the nature and significance of historic buildings, any surviving features, fixtures and fittings or potential re-use of earlier

Bellingham 40

buildings or material prior to the building’s alteration or demolition. Dependant on the specific building and the nature of the proposed works, an application may require historic building assessment to be submitted with the planning application. This will enable a decision to be made on the appropriateness of the scheme and the nature and extent of any mitigation requirements required

Post-determination mitigation 1. The formulation of an appropriate mitigation strategy will be required and this will be

based on the results of the evaluation. The majority of these options can be dealt with as a condition of planning permission comprising one or more of the following: i. Preservation in situ of important archaeological remains revealed during

evaluation. This could have an impact on the viability of the scheme and whether planning permission should be granted

ii. Full excavation prior to construction work commencing for significant remains that do not necessarily warrant preservation in situ. This will also require post-excavation assessment, full analysis, publication of the results and long-term storage of the archive at the appropriate museum

iii. Strip and record prior to construction work commencing for a high density of less significant archaeological remains. The level of post-excavation work will depend on the significance of the archaeology revealed. Significant remains will require post-excavation assessment, full analysis and publication of the results. Archaeology of lesser significance may simply require an appropriate level of analysis and reporting. Long-term storage of the archive at the appropriate museum will be required

iv. Watching brief during construction work for a low density of less significant archaeological remains. An appropriate level of analysis, reporting and long-term storage of the archive at the appropriate museum will be required

v. No further work in areas where no archaeological remains are found 2. Small-scale development such as small extensions within the area of high

archaeological sensitivity may not require pre-application evaluation and in some instances can be dealt with by an archaeological watching brief during construction. Given the high sensitivity of this area, the level of archaeological work required will very much depend on the nature, extent and depth of groundworks and the level of any previous disturbance on the site. An appropriate level of analysis, reporting and long-term storage of the archive at the appropriate museum will be required

3. The need for historic building recording is assessed on the significance of the building, its surviving fixtures and fittings, the potential re-use of earlier building fabric and the nature and extent of the proposed works. Sufficient information will be needed to assess the significance of the building either from existing records or the production of an historic building assessment prior to the determination of the application. An appropriate level of building recording will be identified in response to all these factors, adhering to English Heritage Guidelines

4. Ecclesiastical faculties involving groundwork and work on the historic fabric of the church are likely to require archaeological work of the nature detailed above.

NB The nature and extent of archaeological work is gauged for each individual site. It is therefore recommended that prospective developers contact the Assistant County Archaeologist at Northumberland Conservation at the earliest opportunity before the application is submitted to discuss the potential requirements on development sites in Bellingham and the surrounding area. This document and plan have been produced based on the available evidence at the time that the EUS was produced. Our knowledge of the archaeology is continually being updated and as such this information should only be used as a broad indication of the archaeologically sensitive areas. In some instances development outside the highlighted areas may be required.

Bellingham 41

Further Guidance Any further guidance or queries should be directed to:

Assistant County Archaeologist Northumberland Conservation Development & Delivery Planning Economy & Housing Northumberland County Council County Hall Morpeth NE61 2EF Tel: 01670 620305

e-mail: archaeology@northumberland.gov.uk